**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THIS GRANT IS TO SUPPORT A SABBATICAL VISIT FOR DR. WARD TO THE MICRO4FOOD GROUP AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BOLZANO IN ITALY. THE MICRO4FOOD GROUP CONDUCTS NOVEL FERMENTATIONS OF PLANTS AND FRUITS, AND CHARACTERIZES THEM AT THE MICROBIAL AND METABOLOMIC LEVEL, AND INVESTIGATES HOW THEY AFFECT THE HUMAN MICROBIOME. ALONG WITH FIBER INTAKE, CONSUMPTION OF FERMENTED FOODS IS A MODIFIABLE BEHAVIOR THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO AFFECT BOTH THE COMPOSITION AND METABOLIC ACTIVITY OF THE MICROBIOME. OVER THE PAST DECADE, RESEARCH HAS ESTABLISHED THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT CONSUME WESTERN DIETS, RICH IN ANIMAL PROTEIN, FAT AND ADDED SUGARS, HAVE LESS DIVERSE MICROBIOMES IN BOTH COMMUNITY COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY, AND SOME HYPOTHESIZE THIS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NONCOMMUNICABLE CHRONIC DISEASES THAT ARE DRIVEN BY SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION. WHILE INTAKE OF BOTH FIBER AND FERMENTED FOODS AFFECT THE MICROBIOME, STUDIES IN HUMANS HAVE SHOWN FERMENTED FOODS MAY BE MORE EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION. CURRENTLY, CONSUMPTION OF FERMENTED FOODS IS LOW IN THE UNITED STATES, AND DEVELOPMENT, PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF NOVEL FERMENTED FOODS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE PUBLIC HEALTH. DURING THE SABBATICAL VISIT, DR. WARD WILL WORK WITH SCIENTISTS IN THE MICRO4FOOD GROUP IN TWO INTERRELATED AREAS, CHARACTERIZING NOVEL FERMENTATIONS, AND USING AN IN VITRO DIGESTION PLATFORM TO INVESTIGATE HOW FERMENTATION AFFECTS DIGESTIBILITY OF THE FOODS, AND HOW THEY SHAPE HUMAN MICROBIOMES. ONCE THE SABBATICAL IS COMPLETE, DR. WARD PLANS CONTINUE TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF FERMENTED FOODS ON GUT HEALTH BACK IN HIS LAB IN UTAH.